Jorda has proved that looks aren’t everything on a racecourse, powerfully sprinting away with the Listed Gimcrack Stakes.
The small filly carried a wintry coat into Saturday’s Listed race at Randwick and was sent out $1.95 favourite.
The market got it right and her win gave Godolphin its third consecutive win in Sydney’s first two-year-old race of the season, joining Calliope and Calaverite as Gimcrack winners.
“She moves like a panther,” McDonald said.
“Imagine when she fills out?
“She’s got a lot of class on her side.”
Trainer John O’Shea said Jorda would head for a spell and return next year with her sights firmly on the autumn carnival.
“She spent the winter down at Twin Hills where it’s pretty cold so she came in with a big woolly coat,” O’Shea said.
“She’s only tiny but she’s healthy and happy.”
Trainer Anthony Cummings’ runners couldn’t take a trick.
Kanga’s Eye ($81) ran an eye-catching second after missing the start by three lengths and stablemate Lucky Louie ($31) finished 1-1/4 lengths behind the winner.
Cummings considered lodging a protest against Jorda for blocking Lucky Louie’s run in the straight but decided the winning margin was too great.
Chain Of Fools’ jockey Adam Hyeronimus was reprimanded for causing a chain reaction which resulted in Brenton Avdulla and Didn’t Mention It making heavy contact with the rail in the straight.
